State of the City: Doing business with the city

Procuring New Relationships

How the city is connecting government with businesses

BY ASHLEY DOBBS

There are many moving parts within a local municipality. Often, we think about the things that directly impact our lives such as having electricity running into our homes, water flowing from our faucets, or having our garbage collected each week. While those publicly facing departments play an important role in making sure our citizens are cared for, there are a multitude of departments that operate “behind the scenes,” each playing a crucial role in keeping our city moving forward.

One of those departments is Contracting & Procurement. This department ensures the city receives quality goods and services for the best price; promotes vendor relations; negotiates, drafts, and executes contracts, along with mediating in a fair manner any contract disputes when they arise.

The complexity of curating the right business for the city’s needs while balancing the taxpayers’ trust is no easy task. At the heart of the operation is a professional team of 13 people who work to streamline processes, ensure the objectives of our City Council are met, and that the city is operating within the directives set forth by Florida Statutes. The Contracting & Procurement Department achieves connections to local businesses in a variety of ways, including our fully electronic bid system and our diversified small business program.

BIDOCALA.COM Through the city’s website, www.BidOcala. com, businesses are encouraged to register their information as an official city vendor. Vendors or the public can research active bids, see who is awarded contracts and review vendor resources. This website contains the information needed to partner with the city on business contracts. DIVERSE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM Another important resource within this department is the Diverse Small Business Enterprise program (DSBE). The City of Ocala is committed to helping businesses, especially those locally owned and operated by minority groups, including women and veterans. Launched by the City of Ocala, it provides businesses the opportunity to participate in the city’s contracting and procurement processes. By partnering with the City of Ocala, the playing field is leveled in the bid process, allowing minority and diverse business owners to remain competitive with larger businesses and organizations.

The DSBE program provides opportunities and educational topics to help vendors learn how to do business with the city. Events are led by community leaders and outreach advisors and cover a variety of topics. Current business leaders engage during educational sessions with DSBE class members, providing real life examples and solutions for navigating the business world in our community. The program is designed to fully comply with the city’s procurement policies. As a government entity, the goal is for business owners to become successful members of the community without disadvantage.

To learn more about this program or to enroll in future programs, visit www.ocalasmallbiz.com or call 352-629-8364.

Fundamentally, a successful Contracting & Procurement Department isn’t just about buying goods, negotiating a fair price or executing contracts. When done right, the department builds relationships with businesses which ultimately expand the local economy and support our city. Success comes when you can provide opportunities and understanding to assist both the business owner and the community we serve. Ultimately, what we are trying to accomplish within the City of Ocala is connecting local government and businesses as true community partners.

Ashley Dobbs is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the City Of Ocala.